Spread the Harvest
Spread the Harvest makes food gardening more affordable by offering Central Texas residents free gardening resources, including:
Seeds and Fertilizer
Available year-round at the SFC Office
Plants and Compost
Available twice per year at Resource Giveaway Days
Gardening Books
Year-round access to SFC’s book lending library
Why We Provide Free Garden Resources
15% of people in Central Texas experience food insecurity. Food gardening can help people keep up a healthy diet by growing their own fresh fruits and vegetables year-round. But starting a garden can be expensive. Each year, Spread the Harvest helps 35,000 gardeners start or sustain their gardens by offering them free gardening supplies.
Who Qualifies?
We accept applications for Spread the Harvest from:
Individuals and Families
Who earn less than 275% of the Federal Poverty Level. See our Qualifying Income Thresholds chart »
School Gardens
Parent and teacher representatives for school gardens throughout Austin.
Group Gardens
Organizations providing food to underserved communities (may include community gardens that share produce with underserved communities or gardens at shelters or places of worship).
Program Requirements
In exchange for receiving free resources, participants agree to track the amount of food they harvest and share. Four times per year—in January, April, July, and October—staff survey gardeners by email or phone to see how their garden is growing.
How to Join Spread the Harvest
To join Spread the Harvest, fill out an application:
Fill out the Small Garden Group application if there are 1-9 gardeners actively participating in your garden - for example, a home garden or a plot in a community garden.
Fill out the Large Garden Group application if there are 10 or more gardeners actively participating in your garden - for example, school gardens or other nonprofit gardens.
Want to learn more? Contact Us:
- Mia Burger
- Data Analysis and Education Coordinator
- mia@sustainablefoodcenter.org